


North Meets West: Welcome to Hollywood

by elemsee



Category: Markiplier (Youtuber RPF), Teamiplier (YouTuber RPF), Teamiplier - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF, Youtuber RPF, mark fischbach - Fandom, markiplier - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-21
Updated: 2017-07-21
Packaged: 2018-12-05 03:02:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11568951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elemsee/pseuds/elemsee
Summary: Kelsey Taylor, a YouTuber from the North of England, never expected much from her 'silly little channel'. That is, until she takes on an unusual offer of employment which relocates her to California. What could possibly go wrong?





	North Meets West: Welcome to Hollywood

**Author's Note:**

> Hello new readers, and thank you for choosing to read my latest work! Hope you enjoy, and please feel free to leave feedback! Constructive criticism is always welcome/encouraged: I am looking to go into writing professionally and therefore am very open to being offered ways to improve my work.
> 
> Thank you again, and enjoy!

[one]

 

The weather caught me off guard as I took my first step off the plane. I took an almost gasping breath in, and I knew my lungs were surprised to be processing the stifling but fresh air, different to the recycled crap they'd been subjected to through during the nine hour flight. The sun felt as though it was burning through my leather jacket, and I began trying clumsily to remove it as I walked down the airplane steps. Once free of its restraints, I was honestly stunned that I hadn't whacked the passenger behind me in the face in the process.

 

Walking through the terminal was far more exciting than it probably should have been. I was in a giggly daze, admiring all the colourful advertisements for things I'd never seen in England, and all the different people passing me by, conversing in their wonderfully charming American accents. It was admittedly slightly pathetic, but I didn't care. I pulled out my phone, making a silly Snapchat video of myself walking around and slapped the words “FINALLY ARRIVED! OMG!” with a convenient airplane emoji before adding it to my Snapchat feed and sending it simultaneously to my best friend. I was being such a tourist. I needed to stop. I wasn't a tourist... this was home now.

 

Upon arriving at the luggage carousel, I was jolted out of my rose coloured reverie by my phone vibrating in my hand. I looked down at the screen, smiling hugely and answering it instantaneously when I saw the name.

 

“Sooo, let me guess... you're already in love and don't want to come home?”

 

I sniggered. “What if I told you I was missing the wind and rain and was just gonna jump on a plane back to Manchester? Would you take me back, Kim-Kim?” I offered with my usual sarcastic tone that had become the basis for the majority of our conversations. Couldn't beat a good old fashioned friendship built on sarcasm.

 

“As if, girl. Opportunity of a lifetime, remember? If you came home, I'd slap the shit out of you and send you back.” We both erupted with laughter.

 

Kimberley Morata was my best friend of eight years, though I considered to be more of a 'sister from another mister', as we liked to call it. I owed so much to her. It had been her annoying nagging that had convinced me to start a YouTube channel two years prior, and it was because of my channel that I was now standing in an airport in California, about to start the adventure of a lifetime. I felt a pang of guilt that she wasn't joining me on my adventure, though it wasn't like I hadn't asked her at least twenty times to come with me.

 

“It's weird not having you here,” came the words almost solemnly out of my mouth. My smile had faded now.

 

“Kelsey.” Kim was using her serious voice. “You're living the dream. You gotta live it for the both of us. You know I'm always here... and who knows, maybe I can book some holiday off from this shitty place and visit you soon, get some of that sun.”

 

I stared down the carousel as it started up and began to go round. I silently prayed that my luggage had arrived with me and hadn't gone halfway across the country without me.

 

“You? Take time off? I'm pretty sure your manager would faint and Sainsbury's as an entire chain would collapse.” I smirked at the sound of Kim's hearty laughter.

 

“Obviously. Now bugger off, go and be fabulous in L.A like the star you are, and call me later.”

 

I sighed loudly for dramatic effect, still smirking. “Oh alright, I think I can manage that.”

 

“Love you bye.” It was our trademark phone call sign off.

 

“Love you bye.” As I hung up the phone and tucked it into the back pocket of my jeans, I glanced up to see two huge black polka dot suitcases making their way down the carousel. I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God my luggage had made it. One less thing to worry about.

 

Now all I had to worry about was getting out of the airport, finding my friends... oh yeah, and that other minor concern of NOT FUCKING THIS ENTIRE THING UP.

 

“I can do this,” I breathed as I dragged my suitcases behind me down the corridor towards the exit, “This is home. I'm home. I can do this. I'm gonna be fine.”

 

My initial excitement had reverted back to the crippling anxiety I'd felt on the plane, the same anxiety I'd been battling for the past few weeks. What if I couldn't make this work as my new home? What if I wasn't cut out for the California life? I was just plain old Kelsey Taylor, the 24 year old Mancunian girl who had somehow managed to get people to pay attention to me playing video games on YouTube. I didn't think I was all that interesting. I didn't think that it would lead to anything life changing...

 

I couldn't have been more wrong.

 

As I got to the end of the corridor and reached the main meeting point, I suddenly felt sick with nervousness. The heat wasn't helping either. I needed some water, I needed some air and I needed some space from all the crowds around me.

 

_Not a good start, idiot_ , I thought to myself. Part of my brain was berating me cruelly, the other part was manically trying to talk me down from the panic attack I could feel brewing up inside me. My chest was starting to get tight, and I rubbed at it fiercely. Was it getting hotter in here?

 

_This was a stupid idea. You can't handle this. You can't handle the airport, let alone living in the city!_

 

“Kelsey!”

 

I glanced to my left, following the sound of the voice. I couldn't find the voice's owner at first, and it only made me more frustrated. _Use your eyes, idiot!_

 

“KELSEY! HERE!”

 

Finally, I caught the sight of two people waving their arms above their heads frantically, and relief began to wash over me as I recognised who they were. My friends. Finally, I wasn't alone anymore. I started walking again, picking up the pace as I dragged my noisy suitcases behind me. My friends began to run in my direction, and I couldn't have felt more grateful as they met me halfway, the blue haired male greeting me with an almost crushing hug as the blonde female placed a friendly hand on my shoulder, reaching behind to take one of my suitcases off my hands.

 

“Ethan, Amy, boy am I so glad to see you guys,” I greeted them breathlessly, my chest still threatening to betray me with the tightness.

 

“How was your flight?” My blue haired friend – Ethan – spoke as he released me from his epic hug. He cocked his head in concern as he eyed me. “You look really pale, are you okay?”

 

Ethan and I had spoken on numerous occasions about my panic attacks, so I knew he'd understand. “Just my anxiety giving me trouble. This place is huge,” I responded. Ethan gave me a sympathetic look, pulling me into another quick hug. As he released me, he signalled behind him to the main exit doors, and the three of us began walking.

 

“LAX is Hell on Earth at the best of times, I totally know how you feel,” Amy reassured me as we continued our trek, taking our first few steps into the car park. I shot a thankful smile in her direction, which she shared.

 

“So, what's our plans for today?” I asked, “I mean, besides my inevitable losing battle with the jetlag later.” The three of us laughed.

 

“I'm not totally sure, I know I have to head back to the office once I've dropped you guys off, I have to do some finishing touches on one of Mark's videos,” Ethan responded, “I think he mentioned us all getting together for dinner, though?”

 

“Yeah he did,” Amy confirmed. To an outsider, it probably seemed like the most mundane conversation, but it was helping so much. It was helping me feel... grounded. My chest was beginning to feel normal again, and so was I. I suddenly felt a rush of love and gratitude for these two and their friendship.

 

“By the way, where's Kath? I thought she was coming with you guys to meet me.”

 

“She's working, but she's gonna try to get done early so she can come see you. We've both been so excited for you to get here, you honestly have no idea,” Amy laughed genuinely, and suddenly I felt even more at ease. The thoughts in my head were wrong. I wasn't alone. I was wanted.

 

Eventually we found Ethan's car and after manoeuvring my suitcases into the trunk, we were on our way, a 45 minute drive to Amy and Kathryn's apartment on the other side of town – an apartment which would now be mine, too. Ethan jokingly put a Disney soundtrack CD on, which we all sang along obnoxiously to, until Amy decided it was time for the new Gorillaz album to go on instead. As the two childishly and jokingly bickered in the front about the music choice, I sat in the back quietly, staring out the open window, my hair blowing back into my face as I admired the beautiful coastal view. The thoughts in my head had finally quietened down, and I was feeling much more at ease.

 

I was going to be okay.

 


End file.
